Maine Mayor Won't Seek Re-Election

Published 8:00 pm, Tuesday, May 20, 2003

The mayor who set off a storm of controversy when he advised the Somali community to slow its migration to the area said he won't seek a second term.

In a statement, Lewiston Mayor Larry Raymond said he was confident he could win re-election this fall but had committed himself to serving one term when he ran for mayor. He also said he must focus on his law practice.

Raymond was out of town when his statement was issued Tuesday and couldn't be reached for comment.

Last fall, he drew an angry response from many in the city of 36,000 when he wrote an open letter to area Somalis asking them to slow their migration and pass word among family and friends that Lewiston was "maxed-out financially, physically and emotionally."

Raymond said his letter wasn't meant to insult Somalis but to call attention to the city's financial status. At the time, more than 1,000 Somalis had moved to Lewiston in less than 18 months, and Raymond said the influx had strained the city budget.